1 swag | Definition of swag

swag

verb
\ ˈswag How to pronounce swag (audio) \
swagged; swagging

Definition of swag

 (Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to adorn with swags
2 : to arrange (something, such as drapery) in swags

swag

noun

Definition of swag (Entry 2 of 2)

2a : something (such as a decoration) hanging in a curve between two points : festoon
b : a suspended cluster (as of evergreen branches)
3a : goods acquired by unlawful means : loot
c : promotional goods or items … Ravens gear was selling better than O's swag. I bought one of the cartoon-bird caps …— David Simon
d : goods given to people who attend or participate in an event Her handbags … one year were a part of the swag celebrities brought home from the Screen Actors Guild Awards.— Karen Martin
e : money, lucre … affirmed that he is now bonded to pay up to $5,000 to any listener who may lose out on swag being offered by another network.— Saul Carson
4 : a depression in the earth
5 chiefly Australia : a pack of personal belongings

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Synonyms for swag

Synonyms: Verb

droop, flag, hang, loll, sag, wilt

Synonyms: Noun

booty, loot, pillage, plunder, spoil

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Examples of swag in a Sentence

Verb

the days of endless worrying had taken their toll, and the old woman's face swagged with exhaustion

Noun

The robbers divided the swag. robbed a bank and hid the swag under the floorboards
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The 100-year-old maroon velvet rope still swags alongside the curving stairs. Judy Rose, Detroit Free Press, "John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. were guests in $2.1M Detroit mansion," 10 July 2019 Souvenirs from his time include a fortune worth of silk window treatments — draped, swagged, fringed, puddled or ballooned — that reach past 20 feet tall in the living room. Judy Rose, Detroit Free Press, "$2.35M Bloomfield Hills home comes with 2 kitchens and a tree house," 29 June 2019 In Rossa, Buren’s stripes wrap the soft edges of the building, the two patterns of color meeting in a swagging line around the middle. Shonquis Moreno, Curbed, "‘If you take out the art, the building itself can’t stand’," 6 Aug. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The Washington Mystics’ box of promotional swag even included a protective face mask, as Elena Delle Donne, a favorite for Most Valuable Player, has worn one since breaking her nose in early July. Alexa Philippou, courant.com, "Lynx put together gift box promoting Napheesa Collier as WNBA Rookie of the Year bid," 31 Aug. 2019 His performance was full of swag, starting with Legend's electric-blue tuxedo, complete with tails -- a fitting ensemble for the full-orchestra set. Katie Atkinson, Billboard, "John Legend Dances With Luna & Makes a Powerful Statement With Common at Hollywood Bowl Concert," 16 June 2019 Tickets for the event, which included a large box loaded with pastries and swag, went for $50. Los Angeles Times, "Pastry chefs are raising thousands for charities like Planned Parenthood," 26 Aug. 2019 For these parties, the sponsoring app covers production costs and offers branded swag, in addition to plastering the party space (typically a frat house) with its unmistakable logo. Terry Nguyen, Vox, "Frats are throwing parties with Tinder and Bumble. This isn’t exactly new.," 20 Aug. 2019 The Takeaway: Surely someone will cash in on this and start making swag, right? Graeme Mcmillan, WIRED, "While You Were Offline: Trump Stood in Front of a Fake Presidential Seal," 28 July 2019 Saturday’s noon to 3 p.m. grand opening is timed to coincide with the 20th annual Kahuna Kupuna Benefit Surf Contest — and there will be swag. Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, "Pacifica’s oceanside Taco Bell redesigns, adds beer, becomes a Cantina," 10 July 2019 The swag room is unreal, so go in there with a shopping cart and load up, and just enjoy the experience. Jon Meoli, baltimoresun.com, "Orioles reset: First and last trips of first half show how rebuilding can still be competitive," 8 July 2019 Related Articles No matter what happens at the 3M Open, Finau will leave the Twin Cities with some swag thanks to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who sent him a No. Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, "3M Open: Hideki Matsuyama’s putting prowess has him in contention," 4 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'swag.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of swag

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for swag

Verb

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian svagga to sway, rock; akin to Middle Low German swacken to rock

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More Definitions for swag

swag

noun

English Language Learners Definition of swag

informal + old-fashioned : stolen property

More from Merriam-Webster on swag

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with swag

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for swag

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about swag